Family caregivers across Connecticut are stressed and often overwhelmed, balancing the physical, emotional, financial, and time-consuming demands required to care for their older loved ones. Connecticut’s family caregivers save the state billions of dollars while spending, on average, approximately $7,200 in caregiving expenses out of their own pockets annually.

Family caregivers need financial relief now more than ever, and according to a recent AARP survey, 89 percent of Connecticut adults 18 and older support a family caregiver tax credit. In addition to the overwhelming support for a state income tax credit to family caregivers providing financial support to a loved one, the new research shows most residents say they are more likely to support a candidate for the Connecticut State Legislature who endorses such a family caregiver tax credit.

Additionally, Connecticut residents far and away prefer long-term care at home with caregiver assistance if it were needed by a loved one, with eight in 10 (81 percent) expressing the preference. Nearly all the survey respondents (98 percent) consider it important to have services enabling one’s loved one to remain at home for as long as possible.

Family caregivers put family first. They take responsibility to help their parents, spouses and other loved ones stay at home where they want to be. Without the 390 million hours of unpaid labor Connecticut’s 420,000 caregivers provide each year, valued at $7.2 billion annually according to state data available in AARP’s Valuing the Invaluable report, more older Americans would be forced out of their homes and into costly nursing homes – with the government and taxpayers footing the bill.

Connecticut needs family caregivers. Connecticut family caregivers need financial relief. That’s why AARP is fighting for a Connecticut family caregiver tax credit to bring some financial relief through a modest tax credit for our state’s family caregivers who pay for expenses like transportation or home modifications out of their own pocket. AARP Connecticut encourages residents to email their state lawmaker to tell them Connecticut caregivers deserve a tax credit.

Additional key findings include:

• About three in 10 (31 percent) Connecticut residents 18 and older are or have been family caregivers, with most (73 percent) being employed at the same time.
• Transportation is the most common expense that Connecticut family caregivers say they have incurred when providing care to their loved one, with 88 percent noting the expense.
• Feeling stressed emotionally (79 percent) and stressed in trying to balance work and family responsibilities (73 percent) are most often noted by Connecticut caregivers. They also cited health challenges such as finding it difficult to:

- get enough rest (67 percent)

- exercise regularly (57 percent)

- maintain a healthy diet (42 percent)

         - deal with health problems (37 percent)

         - make time to visit a doctor (35 percent)

Visit www.aarp.org/ct to find the full report and infographic of the research. Resources and information on family caregiving are available at aarp.org/caregiving.

This article was written by Nora Duncan, AARP CT Director.